Candles in the wind
GOLDEN TOUCH David Gold nods first and Dale Hilson hails the second, inset
BLAKE GASTON blew out the candles on his first birthday cake – while his daddy Derek was helping Arbroath blow Queen of the South apart in the heart of Storm Dennis.
Gaston Senior was assured in the Red Lichties goal as Arbroath clocked up their third successive league win to move into fourth place in the Championship.
Goals from David Gold and Dale Hilson saw Arbroath win on Blake’s special day.
Gaston said: “He may not really understand yet but I’m going to dedicate that win to my son Blake.
“The joys of being a football player mean that sometimes you have to make sacrifices and miss out on things such as today, my son’s first birthday. I promise I’ll make it up to him!
“It was a great day football-wise though. We coped with the weather better.
“We are used to the wind, that’s the fourth or fifth time this season we’ve played in conditions like that.
“It’s something we can use to our advantage. We know
Gaston helps blows away Queens then joins son Blake to celebrate birthday
how to cope but sometimes teams come here and get a shock by it.
“If you’ve been sitting on a bus for a couple of hours and step out into conditions like that, on a pitch that is heavy, it can be hard.
“You may not be as motivated as you are at other places with a big atmosphere, big stadium and a nice pitch.”
Arbroath looked up for the fight early on.
They were first to almost every 50-50 ball and looked creative in attack.
It took them six minutes to make the breakthrough as Jason Thomson’s deep, searching cross was headed home by Gold. Queen’s defender Lee Kilday headed off the post and striker Stephen Dobbie had a couple of efforts blocked by Gaston before Arbroath doubled their lead. Thomson was again at the heart of it as his quickly-taken free-kick was controlled and crossed by Gavin Swankie for
Hilson to drill in from ten yards.
Arbroath controlled the second half with new boy Craig Wighton missing a golden opportunity to seal the win as he drilled a rebounded James Craigen shot wide.
Gaston added: “The new players we have brought in have added a freshness, a bit of energy and some quality.
“Just before Christmas we were crying out for a couple of additions and they have come in and hit the ground running.
“We couldn’t have asked more from them. Logan Chalmers has also come in from Dundee United and the team is doing so well he can’t even get a look-in.
“Bobby Linn almost carried us for the first few months of the season. Nearly all our goals came from him – either scoring or assisting.
“We thought at the time if we he got injured we’d be in trouble and now he can’t get a game and we are still winning.
“It speaks well for how well the boys are doing that he can’t get a game right now.
“We’re not getting carried away. Our aim has always been to finish eighth.”